Automatically-oscillating electric fan



Sept. 11, 1928. 1,684,325

' J. F. LISTER ETAL AUTOMATICALLY OSCILLATING ELECTRIC .FAN

Filed May 20, 1927 Patented Sept. 11, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES FRASER LISTER AND HORACE WILL SMALLXVOOD, OF BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND.

AUTOMATICALLY-OSCILLATING ELECTRIC FAN.

Application filed May 20, 192?, Serial No. 192,985, and in Great Britain June 7, 1926.

This invention relates to automatically oscillating electric fans of the type in which the fan wheel, in addition to revolving on its axis, is caused by the rotation of the fan wheel spindle, through a speed reducing gear, to oscillate on two axes at right angles to one another. The fan wheel spindle revolves in the usual bearing of a cylindrical casing containing the motor, said casing having trunnions between its ends mounted to rock in the arms of a forked frame, which frame is mounted to swing, on an axis at aright angle to the rocking axis of the casing, upon a pivot of a fan pedestal. Therefore the automatically oscillating electric fan to which the invention relates is of the pedestal type adapted to rest upon a table or to be attached by a bracket'to a wall, said pedestal comprising a base and a central stem projecting therefrom. I

According to the invention the end of the stem is provided with outwardly and oppositely projecting arms, one to supportthe pivot for the swinging forked frame and the other for connection thereto of one end of a link whose other end is connected with areducing gear actuated by the fan spindle. These arms curve upwardly and away from the pedestal, and that arm which forms a support for the pivot for the forked frame causes the fan wheel to be disposed at a dis tance from the stem of the pedestal, thus making it possible either to use a larger diameter of fan ort-o permit a fan wheel of'normal diameter to be dipped through a wider are. The upward curvature of the opposite- 1y disposed arm makes it possible for that part of the casing at the rear of the rocking trunnions to swing between thetwo arms. The arms may be rigid parts of the stem of the pedestal or may be hinged to the upper end of said stem in order that said arms may be tilted relatively, to the pedestal and then be clamped in such position. The essential feature of the invention is theprovision of an arm projecting laterally from the stem of the base for the purposes described.

In carrying the invention into effect a reducing gear is mounted at the rear end of the casing and has a second short shaft, parallel with the fan wheel spindle, to which shaft one end of the hereinbefore mentioned link is connected, which short shaft and link are not new, per se, in oscillat ng electric fans.

' fan.

The link maybe adjustable as to length and be telescopic, in order to vary the extent of the combined oscillations. i

The invention not only provides a pedestal type of fan in which the fan wheel may either be of larger diameter or, if of normal diameter, can oscillate to a greater extent or dip more than usual, but in which, when the fan is resting upon a table or the like, there is better balance of the entire fan and oscillating action.

The invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which: Fig. l is a side elevation of the complete and forked frame as viewed from the left of Fig. 2. I

The pedestal comprises a basea and a central stem a projecting therefrom. This pedestal is suitable to rest upon a table or for attachment to a wall by a bracket in a well known manner. I

The stem a is provided at its upper end with-two oppositely disposed side arms 0 and (Z, the former to support the pivot e for the swinging forked frame 7, and the latter for connection to one end 9 of a link 9, to be hereinafter described.

The arm 0 curves-upwardly and laterally and the arm (Z curves upwardly and away from the pedestal. The forked frame f, be tween the arms or forks of which the motor casing 72, is mounted to swing on the trunnions i, is mounted to swing as at e on the free end of the arm 0. This serves to keep the fan wheel well away from the stem a of the pedestal, making it possible either to use a larger diameter of fan wheel x than usual or to use a fan wheel of normal diameter and to permit it to oscillate to a greater extent or to dip to a greater degree on the trunnions 2' than it could if the forked arm were close to the stem a while the upward and lateral curving of the arm (Z enables that part it of the fan casing h which extends to the rear of the rocking trunnions i to swing between the two arms.

The arms 0 and may be formed as rigid parts of the stem ta but as shown in the drawings they are integral parts of a casting having ears straddling the end of the stem and connected thereto by a tilting and clamping pin in order that the arms 0 and (i may be tilted upon the'stem.

The rear end it of the fan body it, into which the end 1 of the fan wheel spindle 3/ projects, contains a speed reducing gear. On the end 3 of the spindle is a worm Z, gearing with a worm wheel at on a short shaft 11. which is rotatable on an axis at a right angle to the tan wheel spindle. This shaft n carries another worm, 0 to rive a worm wheel 9 on a second short shaft 1', parallel with the fan wheel spindle. The rear end 7* of the shaft 1' projects beyond the rear end of the casing 71 and is connected to one end of the link g by a hinge pin 8.

The link 9 may comprise a pair of tele scopic members clamped together in adjusted position by a set screw but actingas a rigid link after adjustment, the lengthening and shortening of said link varying the extent of the combined oscillations.

The end 9 of the link is pivoted to a stud t which is mounted to revolve in an opening in the extremity d of the arm (1, and the revolution of the stud in said opening is red sisted by the friction set up by a spring u mounted in the outer end of the stud and bearing against the arm (1.

The casing it rocks upon the trunnions z" tion and the accompanying drawing that the combined oscillations of the fan wheel in the two planes at right angles to one another are caused by the connection of the shaft 1' to the arm (Z through the link 1 and that the other arm 0 forms a mounting for the swinging movement of the forked frame f at a distance from the stem Q of the pedestal, and that, during such oscillations, therear end k of the body gyrates between the two arms 0 and cl. v f v A feature of the invention is that the stud t, arm at, and the disposition of the shaft r in relation to the rear end h of the casing, and the upward curvature of the arm (1, makes it possible for the rear end of the casing to gyrate within reasonable limits as to the height of the fan.

The s )eed reducing gearmay be provided with a riction clutch for throwing the gear out oi action, as commonly used in oscillating fans of this type.

The invention also produces a fan of very neatdesign and construction and which may be used either as a tablefan oras awall fan.

Having now described ourinvention What we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A sup portcomprising a pedestal, a member mounted on said pedestal and having a pair of arms one of which extends laterally from said pedestal, a second member mountcd to oscillate on said laterally extendin arm on an axis in a plane common to sai arms and said pedestal, said second member having a pair of arms between which a casing may be mounted to rock on anaxis at substantially a right angle to the axis of oscillation of said second member, the other of saidvfirstmentioned arms having means for connection thereto of means for rocking a casing mounted between the arms of said second Il'leIllbeI and for oscillating said second member on its axis. y

2. A support comprising a pedestal, a member mounted on said pedestaland having a pair of arms ofii'set in opposite directions from said pedestal, a second member mounted to oscillate on one of said arms on an axis in a plane passing through said arms and pedestal, said second member having a pair of arms between which a casing'may be mounted'to rock on an axis at a right angle to the axis of oscillation of said second member, the other of said arms having means for attachment thereto of means for oscillating said second member and rocking a casing mounted between the arms of said member.

In testimony whereof we have aflixed our signatures.

JAMES FRASER LISTER. 1 HORACE WILL SMALLVVOOD. 

